Landmark bridge deck towards capital city nears completion

A photograph of the construction of the landmark Male-Hulhumale bridge posted by Housing Minister Dr Mohamed Muizzu on his Twitter account —

Housing Minister Dr. Mohammed Muizzu on Wednesday announced that the construction of the deck on the Male-end of the landmark Male-Hulhumale bridge, is almost complete.

In a Tweet posted by the minister, he remarked that the construction of 480 meters of the I-beams towards the capital city is complete, as is the construction of 180 meters of road or deck space leading to the bridge from the capital Male’.

The placement of I-beams at the Male-end of the bridge will be followed by the laying of the bridge deck. Once the I-beams are completed, the deck will be placed and the superstructure, which is being built in China, and will be brought and assembled at the construction site in Male.

Minister Muizzu also shared some photographs of the current construction stage. The images show that construction of concrete works commencing from the capital, completed halfway along the bridge. Some of the images display the CCCC staff hard at work.

The project is progressing fast and on schedule, the minister had claimed.

The agreement between China and Maldives state that the bridge must be completed by the end of September 2018, but the housing ministry had optimistically declared that the project can be completed by July this year, as the project is progressing ahead of schedule.

The total expense of the project amounts to USD 200 million, out of which USD 116 million is provided as free aid by the Chinese government. China has also loaned USD 72 million, while the Maldives’ government is bearing USD 12 million of the project.